By Andrew Zimmern
This is a fun recipe that I originally created for Rock Your Taco at the Austin Food & Wine Festival, and it won first place! The fried bao are a perfect vessel for gravlax, caviar and my bitter lemon creme fraiche puree. I’m using Oklahoma paddlefish caviar here, which is incredible and only a fraction of the cost of sturgeon caviar. It’s made by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and sales benefit various programs and conservation efforts in the state. Hope everyone has a wonderful new year!
New Year’s Eve Caviar & Salmon Tacos
Ingredients
Caviar Tacos
- Frying oil
- Store bought Chinese bao
- Gravlax (get the recipe)
- Paddlefish caviar
- Bitter lemon-creme fraiche puree (recipe follows)
- Minced chives, for garnish
Bitter lemon-creme fraiche puree
- 300 grams whole lemons
- 100 grams simple syrup
- 100 grams lemon oil
- 300 grams Crème Fraiche
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pan or wok to 375 degrees F.
Fry the bao buns until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Stuff the fried buns with a slice of gravlax, paddlefish caviar and a dollop of bitter lemon and creme fraiche puree. Top with minced chives.
To make the bitter lemon-creme fraiche puree:
Fork the lemons. Blanch the lemons cold to hot 3 times, changing water each time. Quarter lemons and remove seeds.
Cryovac lemon quarters in a flat layer and microwave 3 times, 2 minutes each time. Total cooking time in the microwave – 6 minutes.
Transfer lemons to blender while still hot and puree with simple syrup and lemon oil. Pass through fine chinois and refrigerate. Fold crème fraiche into the lemon puree.
